The Key
by EsmeAnne5981
Summary: Power is not always in numbers. When Bella and Edward arrive home from Isle Esme and Bella must find a way to keep her baby. Who would have thought that the Cullen that speaks the least would have the strongest voice in the matter? One-shot.


**The Key**

**Bella Cullen:**

Rosalie had picked Edward and I up from the airport. Edward was still in shock over my pregnancy. To be honest, so was I. But, he was starting to scare me. I held his hand and hoped that everything would calm down. The Cullen's were probably in a tizy trying to figure out what to do about everything.

I felt guilty for putting this upon everyone, but Rose was right, this baby was worth any pain I would have to go through in order to have it. I never thought I would have wanted to be a mother, but now that it was actally happening, I couldn't see myself wanting anything else.

As we rolled into the driveway of the Cullen house I could see that everyone was in the living room aside from Esme, who was nowhere to be seen, and Emmett, who was on the porch. Smiling, I stepped out of the car. Emmett smiled back, "Hey, Bella. Break the whole island while you were there?"

I shook my head, smiling slightly and blushed. "Ah, that's too bad," Emmett laughed, filling the air with the sound of his booming chuckles. Then he put his arm around Rosalie and led her inside as Edward stepped out and picked me up, carrying me through the threshold.

"You know this isn't necessary," I pointed out. "I can still walk."

He shrugged and set me down on the couch in the livingroom before sitting beside me with a stone expression. I nervously messed with my wedding ring in order to avoid the eyes of my new family. But, eventually Carlisle stepped up, "Bella, I would like to...take care of your pregnancy now before it's too late. Alice can't see your future anymore now that the fetus is inside you and we have no way of knowing whether it's even human-"

Rose quickly inturrupted, "Carlisle, we can't just kill it! It's a baby!" Her voice was hard and accusing.

"I worry for Bella's safety," Carlisle countered looking back at Rosalie. "I don't know anything about a...fetus of this sort," he said before looking over at me. "Bella, I know you don't want to, but I would feel much better if you would allow me to get rid of it." His eyes poured with compassion, but I couldn't bring myself to comply with him.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry."

My father-in-law's eyes grew sad and he tried once again, more desperately, "Bella, please. This thing could kill you and if you died think about what Edward would have to go through!" He exclaimed softly as he held his hand out to me.

I was just about ready to say something, but a sweet smelling figure stepped between Carlisle and I. Edward growled softly. But, this didn't move the figure. It was Esme, my mother-in-law. Carlisle stood up straighter and looked down at her, his sorrow filled eyes mixing with the loving look he always got when he looked at her.

They stared at each other for a long time before Esme spoke. Her voice was soft but firm as she stood her ground. "That thing_ is _a baby, Carlisle," she said. The room was silent. I looked amongst my brothers and sisters, their faces were all tense. I knew Esme and Carlisle loved each other very much, but I'd never bothered to ask about whether they ever fought or openly disagreed. The expressions of my new siblings were enough to tell me this was probably a first.

"Esme, that th- baby could kill Bella," he said softly but firmly, gently taking her hand.

She took her hand away. "But, she wants to keep it. Let her go through with the pregnancy. We'll all be here to care for her."

He frowned and took a step back. "Esme, what if I can't save her? Even if we all work to keep her alive, she may not survive the birth!"

Esme's face slowly distored in pain, but the pain wasn't physical. "Carlisle, that doesn't matter! I mean, it does! It matters a lot, but you're taking away a_ life_! This baby is _alive_!" Her finger moved behind her to point to my baby, her voice slowly beginning to deteriorate into sobs. "Carlisle, I would give almost _anything_...to have the chance that Bella has. _Please_, don't take this away from her. I'm begging you," Esme said softly before turning to Edward and shaking her head.

"You know how it feels, my son. Don't make your Bella go through what Rose and I already have," She pleaded before looking back at the rest of the family, then leaving the room, going up the stairs, the sound of her heels hitting the wood ringing through the house.

I looked up at Carlisle, who was staring at the stairs, a look of anguish set on his face as he watched his wife disappear. Then he slowly looked down at me, before turning his gaze to Edward.

Edward quickly stood up and snarled. "Of course!" He yelled as he stormed out of the house and down the porch steps, running into the woods. I frowned, I hated hurting him, but this baby was our child, how could I not love it enough to want to protect it.

The heat of the argument hadn't died down, but it was clear that Carlisle would not take away my baby as soon as Esme had stated her opinion. I had left the room, I knew all of this stress would be bad for the baby. I went upstairs in order to find Esme. I needed to thank her for what she had just done. I never would have thought she would have been the key to keeping my baby alive.

When I found her I paused. She was sitting at Carlisle's desk, her head buried in her arms as she silently sobbed. Frowning, I knocked on the door. She quickly jumped up and instantly stopped crying, her facial expression was surprised. "Bella!" she exclaimed as she instantly composed herself. I would never have known she was upset if I hadn't seen her two seconds ago.

"Esme, are you alright?" I asked walking into the room.

She smiled softly and organized some of the papers on Carlisle's desk. "Yes, dear. I just...Carlisle and I don't often disagree on things. Especially of this importance. It's been a long time. I think Edward was the only one that witnessed it," she said softly as she looked out the window, avoiding my eyes.

"Can I ask what it was about?" I inquired, slowly sitting.

She pursed her lips, then told me, "I was a newborn. I had been only a few hours old when I remembered my life as a human. When I remembered why I had jumped off the cliff, I just wanted to jump off again. I didn't think I could ever be happy, so, I struck out at Carlisle verbally, accusing him of destroying any peace that I could have had in death. Luckily, that phase only lasted a month," she said softly and smiled a bit as Carlisle suddenly appeared behind her, his arms around her waist.

"Although, I still wish I could give you a child," Carlisle said softly as he kissed her temple.

She smiled wider and looked up at him, "But you have, you've given me five, and Bella joined as well due to your choices, making six the final count. That's more then I ever could have had as a human."

He shrugged softly and smiled pecking her lips softly before looking over at me. "Edward's downstairs, he wishes to speak with you," Carlisle said a smile playing on his lips and Esme laughed softly.

"Sure, he does." Esme retorted, smiling as she rolled her eyes, but she didn't move from his arms.

I laughed a bit, "I'll leave." Carefully, I got up and left the room, looking at them one last time before shutting the door. They were truely still in love, I could only hope that Edward and I would be like that in 80 years aswell. Although, my doubts were minimal.


End file.
